Re: Second World War veteran fights for recognition for wartime pilot trainers, Dec. 28.

It shouldn’t be a fight, nor should it be “tough to make the case for training, no matter how important it was.” It should be a resounding “We as a grateful nation can recognize your service as a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan instructor!”

Remember, these trainers qualified 131,553 aircrew graduates, of which more than 73,000 were Canadian; these trained aircrew were the guys who flew over occupied Europe and Asia, taking the fight directly to the enemy.

The cost in lives was not insignificant either: 19,256 died in training; BCATP training appears to have been just as deadly as Dieppe, Hong Kong or Bomber Command.

According to Veterans Affairs Canada, in 2014 there were 88,400 Second World War Veterans still alive, with most being over 90. It was also estimated that 50 die a day, so according to my math that now leaves us starting 2017 with 51,900 wartime veterans still alive, of which a small percentage would be BCATP instructors. The year 2017 is a year of celebration; why not make a point of recognizing these veterans before time runs out? It is the least we can do.

The “fight” by John Newell for special recognition for Second World war aircrew training safely at home in Canada forgets that a “Bar” or “Clasp” added to a wartime overseas combat medal recognizes action in a theatre of war against an enemy.

In passing, of the 17,101 RCAF Second World War fatalities, 14,544 occurred overseas (and a further 2,475 became PoWs). His comparative comment about Bomber Command service overlooks that Bomber Command service was very much combat with an aircrew survival rate of only 58 per cent.

The BCATP was an amazing commitment to the winning of the war, but it was a non-combat activity. Accordingly, it does not justify what is traditionally a “combat” clasp.

Lt.-Gen. (Ret) Bill Carr, Kanata

Ad hominem arguments just don’t cut it

Re: Why it’s impossible to reason with the alt-right, Dec. 26.

Angelina Chapin is right. I don’t try to dialogue with “people who reject reality.” Nor do I try to dialogue with people who preface their remarks with ad hominem arguments, as she does.

Brian McGurrin, Ottawa

Don’t try logic on members of the alt-right

I couldn’t agree more that clear-headed logic and irrefutable facts are wasted in arguing with the alt-right, or with ISIL or any other far-right zealot.

Wherever they may be in their mind(s), folks like this did not get there through logic and clear heads. Those heads are filled with car horns.

Al Wilkinson, Ottaw

Lots of reasons people don’t go to church

Re: Why some churches fail to fill the pews, Dec. 24.

Theology doesn’t always fill the pews. Societal trends also influence church attendance. I know, there are the “C” and “E” Christians who just show up at Christmas and Easter, and even the “M” and “D” Christians who only want to be married and buried in a church and that’s all, but habit also has a lot to do with it.

The pre-war generation went to church as children and also went to church as adults. Their children (the baby boomers) went to church as children, but didn’t go to church as adults. Their children (the Gen X-ears) didn’t go to church as children and don’t go to church as adults. It used to be that if you didn’t go to church you were an oddball; now if you do go to church you’re an oddball.

People attend church for many different reasons, and why people no longer fill the pews (for church-related activities) also are for many reasons. It’s no longer “cool” or “in” to go to church. In this trendy, celebrity-driven world, it may require a shift in societal mentality to fill the pews once again.

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